Mayo fightback hands GAA big windfall

Croke Park will host 165,000 supporters inside 24 hours next weekend, an unexpected development that’s worth an additional €3m to the GAA.

Mayo’s fightback from seven points down to secure an All-Ireland football semi-final replay means they have presented the GAA with a huge cash injection for the second year running.

The five-in-a-row Connacht champions drew with Kerry at this stage of the 2014 Championship, though that replay was watched by just over 36,000 at Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds.

With Croke Park available this year for a semi-final replay, which will take place next Saturday at 5pm, another capacity crowd will be expected, securing an anticipated €3m bonus for the association.

The short turnaround time does leave Croke Park staff with a logistical headache ahead of Sunday’s sellout All-Ireland hurling final between Kilkenny and Galway though officials say they have no concerns over that.

Last year’s replay was a PR nightmare for the GAA as Croke Park was unavailable for the second meeting of Kerry and Mayo due to a college American football game taking place there.

Aside from the logistical difficulties, this year’s second instalment is generally a huge positive with Dublin’s involvement guaranteeing the GAA the biggest possible pay day.

Dublin face a nervous wait to see who will be available. Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea said he was ‘headbutted’, a claim that could prompt punishment to be dished out to a Dublin player. Dublin may also appeal against Diarmuid Connolly’s straight red card in second-half injury time which rules him out of the replay.

“I’ll have to have a look at it. Joe (McQuillan) made the decision based on whatever information he received. He made that call, as he did for the black cards and some other cards that might not have been given. We’ll just have to have a look at all of those,” said Dublin manager Jim Gavin.

It also emerged after the dramatic draw that a first-half point scored by Bernard Brogan may have gone wide.

Pictures from a TV camera behind the goals at the Canal End of the ground gave the impression that Brogan’s 14th minute long-range looking kick went outside of the upright and wide.

Even if proven to be a wide, Mayo would have no avenue of appeal, however.

Meanwhile, the All-Ireland ladies football semi-final tie between Dublin and Armagh won’t be taking place on the under bill to the Dublin versus Mayo replay.

Dublin and Armagh were scheduled to play at nearby Parnell Park at the same time so a Croke Park double-bill seemed a strong possibility though the Ladies Gaelic Football Association said their request to play there was denied. They said the GAA didn’t wish to play any extra games at Croke Park close to the All-Ireland hurling final.

Dublin captain Lyndey Davey described the decision as an ‘absolutely joke’ when reacting on Twitter.